Related Applications:
This application is related to my concurrently filed applications entitled "Umbrella-Type Collapsible Shelter", "Pivotal Frame Structure for Collapsible Umbrella Type Tent", and "Ground Engaging Foot Member", Ser. Nos. 950,028, 950,029, and 950,258, respectively. The entire contents of these concurrently filed applications are incorporated herein by reference.
Field:
The invention pertains generally to means of slidably attaching fabric material to a tubular support member. In particular, the invention relates to means for slidably attaching the fabric or cover portion of a collapsible shelter of the umbrella-tent type to the support members of the frame of the shelter.
State of the Art:
In recent years, backpacking has become very popular, and portable, single unit tents, which have the frame and canopy incorporated into one unit and can be folded into a compact, lightweight package, have been provided to take the place of the older, more cumbersome tents in which a frame and canopy are separable from each other. A sturdy, lightweight, foldable, quickly erectable and collapsible shelter of the umbrella type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,054, issued to Paul J. Watts on Feb. 26, 1974. In accordance with the disclosure of that patent, a frame and canopy are provided in a single unit wherein the fabric material of the canopy is held loose on the frame when the shelter is in a collapsed position and taut on the frame when the shelter is in an erected position. In addition, the central pole of conventional umbrella-type tents was eliminated, with the shelter retaining all the structural stability of such umbrella tents having a central pole.
The frame of the shelter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,054 includes a vertical erecting rod located at the apex of the frame. The erecting rod is adapted to slide up and down through a central hub which forms the apex of the frame. A plurality of flexible, segmented support members are pivotally attached to the central hub, and an equal number of rib members are pivotally attached at mutually respective ends to the support members. The other ends of the rib members are pivotally attached to a second hub which is mounted on the erecting rod below the central hub, so that when the second hub is moved into proximity of the central hub, the support members assume a position extending outwardly and downwardly from the central hub with the cover or canopy tautly affixed thereto, and the ribmembers extend substantially radially outward from the second hub. As taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,054, the cover or canopy is attached to the support members at intermediate positions along the vertical seams connecting adjacent panels of the canopy by providing loops of material in combination with the seams for receiving respective support members. The loops are slidable along the support members to allow the cover to be collapsed with the frame into a compact bundle. It has been found, however, that the cloth loops tend to bind on the support members under various circumstances and, thus, make it difficult to slide the loops along the support members. This is especially aggravated when the canopy and loops therein are wet, thus, making the erection and folding of the shelter fairly difficult during a rainstorm.
Objectives:
The principal objective of this invention is to provide improved means for slidably connecting a fabric member to a tubular support member. In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide connecting means which will allow free movement of the fabric cover of a collapsible tent along the support members of the frame thereof even in adverse conditions such as a rainstorm without manual assistance in moving the individual connections. A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the fabric cover can be quickly connected to and disconnected from the frame of the tent.